One of the angels that revealed the seven plagues had John follow him where he would be shown the judgment of the Great Harlot that sits upon many waters. The many waters are “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (17:15). This is probably a reference to the Jewish Diaspora and this imagery depicts the city reigning over Jews from every nation under heaven (Acts 2:5).
The city committed fornication with the kings of the earth while boasting to the world that God lived, there. She is the great city (17:18), Jerusalem (cf. 11:8) who was noted as the city of God because the temple was located there. From this picture, we understand that God was married to Jerusalem. He showed her compassion when she was at the point of death (cf. Ezek. 16), caused her to prosper, and took her as His bride. In time, she trusted in her beauty and pursued the kings of the earth. Unfortunately for her, Jehovah was at home and knew of her adultery. Not one of her shameful acts was hidden from Him.
The angel carried John away in the spirit (his spirit, not the Holy Spirit, cf. 2 Cor. 12:2-3). He was brought to a wilderness where he saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored (color of sin, cf. Isa. 1:18) beast. As already pointed out, this beast is a historical figure about which Josephus had much to write — John of Gishala. His the same beast of chapter thirteen that is full of blasphemous names. Josephus writes, “Now, this was the work of God, who therefore preserved this John, that he might bring on the destruction of Jerusalem” (Wars, IV, ii, 3).
The Beast’s Description
The beast has seven heads and ten horns (cf. 13:1) and the text tells us that the seven mountains upon which the woman sits are seven kings (17:9-10) and the ten horns are “ten kings that have no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour” (17:12). This old unfaithful queen, who is clothed in purple majesty and attired in wealthy jewelry, is to be cast out and her royal estate is given to a new queen, new Jerusalem. Her cup of abomination is full and the land will vomit her along with her children (cf. Gen. 15:16; Lev. 18:24ff).
The Jewish High Priest was to have “Holy to Jehovah” written on his forehead (Exodus 28:36-38). The significance of the forehead is probably chosen because it stands out the most to present to the world. It is here that God seals His servants (7:3) and that the beast marks his followers (13:16). But, Jerusalem and her children can no longer bear the name “Holy to Jehovah.” Her new name is “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth.” She will wear it continuously for her shame and as a testimony that God will not wink at sin.
The city was drunk with the blood of saints and martyrs (cf. 16:6; Luke 13:33-35). Matthew 23:29-39 reads, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and [a]adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’ Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation” (NKJV, cf. Lk. 11:47-52). Even in the first century, Stephen and James were killed, as recorded in Acts seven and twelve, along with countless others who are left unnamed (Acts 22:4, 26:10).